The outbreak of COVID-19 it has disrupted the lives of many people around the world. The pandemic has imposed a sense of uncertainty and anxiety, as the world was unable to predict or prepare for this crisis. In addition, it has caused a tremendous level of stress among children, adolescents and all students in general, warning of possible suicidal behavior.
There is already on demand in the Children’s Psychiatric Hospital for mental health in children
So that, The COVID-19 pandemic triggered mental health problems among children and raised the demand for emergencies at the Children’s Psychiatric Hospital by 25 percent. Going from 2 thousand 943 consultations in 2020, to 2 thousand 089 so far in 2021, and of which 435 already had injuries in between.
There are multiple factors that trigger suicidal behavior, including social rejection, depression, and substance use. And now, the loneliness due to confinement due to the pandemic. Specialists consider that school is the best place to detect and channel children and adolescents in time, as they can express it in advance. Therefore, they advise parents and guardians to listen to their children and have close communication.
Every 40 seconds a person in the world takes their own life.
“It is common for us to receive in emergency rooms from hospitals, mainly psychiatric hospitals, young people who want to take their own lives, from children, very young, we are talking from 10 years upwards that we can already observe suicidal behaviors or ideations,” said Juan Manuel Quijada, general director of Psychiatric Care Ministry of Health.
In Mexico, suicide is the second leading cause of death in young people and children between 10 and 29 years old.
“They do self-injury, that is, they take a tool from home and make some cuts, which is by far the most common, another common situation is that they take pills. One of the most used methods today is hanging, children who arrive in crisis. Some may be experiencing violence within the home, some other abuses within the home, ”said Dr. Quijada.
Social rejection, depression, substance use and currently loneliness due to confinement have made children and adolescents especially vulnerable.
Specialists warn that school is the best place to detect and channel them in time.
“When young people find themselves isolated from their social circle, from their school, from their common places, they begin to experience a feeling of loneliness, they begin to be linked sometimes with anxiety and most of the time with depression, plus other factors that can being around such as the death of one of their relatives. In addition to the loss of a job, for example, of one of their parents, it is likely that they are factors that at some point lead us to suicidal behavior, ”the doctor insisted.
Generally, people who commit suicide manifest it in advance, therefore, it is important to be alert and before any thought, behavior or intention of this type, and call the Life Line of the Federal Ministry of Health.
To do?
“The main message is to listen, beyond saying something to our young people, we must listen to our children. Being able to listen to them will give us an idea of what is going on in their heads, what is happening not only in their minds, but also in their hearts and we can reach out to them and I would say reach out to them because listening to them is a very important thing. in order to deactivate this behavior, ”said Dr. Quijada.
Additionally, children can be taught coping mechanisms to self-regulate their own emotions without depending on others. One method that achieves this goal is behavioral activation, which focuses on engaging in enjoyable activities rather than using avoidance behaviors.
With information from Farah Reachi
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